The last time I was this moved by a poetess I was reading Maya Angelou, I LOVE poetry, and have been reading and writing it since I was a child. Moved by the rhythms and beauty of the allegories that poetry brings, became a huge fan of Slyvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, and countless others. I tend to be a bit picky about what I consider good and truthfully the last one I liked was Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb". Until I read Alora Young's "Walking Gentry Home". Alora has created a beautiful tapestry of pictures of her foremothers in powerful and vibrant colors, weaving the luxurious strength of Black history. I learned a lot in this thought-provoking collection, I cried more than a few tears too. This is beautiful and I am so happy and honored to have read and highly recommend this. This talented poet has a lovely voice that we need to hear.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, NetGalley and to Alora Young for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest and non-paid review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very impactful and powerful collection of poetry that chronicles the author’s maternal ancestry from the first person in her family to touch American soil (as a slave) all the way to the author in present day (a young woman gifted with words and the strength to use them).

I highly recommend this, but especially if you are a native Tennessean, like me.

The concept of this book blew me away. Tracing her maternal lineage through verse, fining voice to her ancestors, Young took up an ambitious task and had many successes. Following key moments in her grandmother and mother’s lives, Young explores the challenges of the transition into womanhood, society’s expectations, and the limiting nature of the small town she (and they) grew up in. For as much pain and questioning is embedded in this verse, there is equal amount of joy and pride. I got a bit lost in the structure and voice at times. The book is linear, but not, moving through time in periods of each persons point of view. And in each section, she tends to switch voice—-from naming the subject of the poem to using I, which sometimes feels like claiming the voice of that ancestor, and other times felt like her own interjection. There may be a sense of the collective she was reaching for here. Overall, ambitious and worth the read.

This may be the most complex book I have read in verse. I'm amazed at the stength of Alora Young's voice.

Walking Gentry Home has blown me away. Tears are still drying as I type this. Incredible.